Tangy Roasted Chicken Thighs with Artichoke Panzanella

Panzanella, the Italian salad, is typically made with tomatoes, onions and chunks of bread. In her smart version, Koren Grieveson combines grilled bread and sweet broiled tomatoes with marinated baby artichokes before dressing the warm salad with a lemony vinaigrette. It's fabulous served alongside crisp chicken.
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Ingredients

4 large garlic cloves

One 1/4-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (2 3/4 pounds)

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves

1 scallion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

One 3/4-pound loaf white country-style bread, sliced 1 inch thick

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

12 ounces cherry tomatoes

8 baby artichokes in oil, drained and halved lengthwise (see Note)

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/4 cup chicken stock

How to Make It

Step 1

In a mini food processor, pulse the garlic and ginger until chopped. Add the paprika, cayenne and 1/3 cup of the lemon juice and process until smooth; transfer to a bowl. Add the chicken, cilantro, scallion and 2 tablespoons each of the olive oil and parsley. Toss, cover and refrigerate for 3 hours.

Step 2

Meanwhile, heat a grill pan. Brush the bread with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the bread over moderately high heat, turning once, until toasted, about 3 minutes. Let cool slightly, then tear into bite-size pieces.

Step 3

Preheat the broiler. In a large, deep skillet, toss the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Broil the tomatoes for 7 minutes, until they begin to burst. Using a spoon, lightly mash the tomatoes to release some of their juices. Let cool slightly, then add the bread, artichokes and lemon zest to the skillet.

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 375°. Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade and pat dry. In a very large skillet, heat the canola oil. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and add them to the skillet, skin side down. Cook over moderately high heat until browned, about 4 minutes. Turn the chicken, pour the chicken stock into the skillet and bring to a boil. Transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast the chicken for 15 minutes, until cooked through. Spoon 1/4 cup of the pan drippings from the skillet over the bread mixture.

Step 5

In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of parsley and the remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Gently warm the bread mixture over moderate heat, tossing, until it is heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Pour the dressing over the bread salad and toss well. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 6

Transfer the chicken to plates, spoon the bread salad alongside and serve.

Notes

Look for baby artichokes at the deli counter of specialty food stores.

Suggested Pairing

Artichokes tend to make wine taste bitter, but there are enough other ingredients in Grieveson's bread salad to make a good white wine work as a pairing. The Austrian grape variety Grüner Veltliner has a green edge to its flavor that makes it particularly compatible with difficult-to-match vegetables.

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